"Haruna-chan! Miyu-chan!" Kurumi sing-songed their names as they met outside Arisugawa Academy.
"Kurumi-san! How many times must I tell you? That is not how you properly greet your peers!" Haruna chided gently, shaking her head.
Kurumi's cheerful smile faded into a look of deadpanning disbelief. "Seriously, Chairman? School hasn't even started yet!"
"Being a proper young lady knows no schedule, Kurumi-san. Besides, who are you calling—?!"
"Oh, right, sorry, my bad, Chair-chan!" A devilish smile spread across the smaller girl's face. "Or would you prefer Chairman-sama?"
"Kurumi-san!" Haruna shrieked, but before she could say anything else, Miiko came running over.
"Kurumi-chan! Miyu-chan! Haruna-chan!" She giggled and waved, skirt and ribbons flying as she took great, leaping bounds, bag swinging violently against her legs the entire time.
"Miiko-san! That is not how a proper young lady walks!"
"Awww, Haruna-chaaaan!" Miiko pouted, but as she drew closer to the others, she slowed down, nonetheless.
Haruna rolled her eyes and heaved a massive sigh of exasperation. "Honestly, you two, is it really so difficult to behave a little more like Miyu-san?" She gestured to the pink-haired girl, exasperated tone turning reverent. "You see, she is a proper young lady. She never allows her skirt to flutter so indecently, nor does she shout her morning greeting halfway across campus!"
Miiko and Kurumi shot one another looks of pure boredom as Haruna lectured. Was she aware that they were tuning her out?
They weren't the only ones either. Miyu said nothing, watching with an awkward, slightly concerned smile as the lecture continued. Oh, dear, I do wish Haruna-chan would be a little… gentler with them. Was it not evident that they were merely happy to see us?
While Haruna was focused on "format", Miyu was far more interested in the content. Kurumi's tone was excited when she saw Haruna and Miyu at the Academy gates, and Miiko had come running over not because she was late, but because she was eager to be with her very best friends. How could anyone scold them for something like that?
"—and Kurumi-san, your tie is crooked!" Miyu tuned back in just in time to watch Haruna grab the front of Kurumi's dress impatiently and fiddle with it until it was to her satisfaction.
"Geez, Chairman, what are you, my mom?" Kurumi grumbled, swatting at Haruna's hands and trying to push her away, but Haruna was insistent.
"No, she's our onee-sama!" Miiko giggled, but she wasn't laughing anymore when Haruna turned a critical eye on her.
"Miiko-san! Is that… dirt, on your face?" she demanded, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket at the same time.
"Uh-oh…" Miiko tried backing up, but it was already too late. Haruna quickly strode forward and pulled her back in, rubbing her face aggressively with the pink and white cloth of lace. "Mmph! Ouch! Hey! Haruna-chaaaannn!"
"Ha, ha!" Kurumi teased, pointing at Miiko.
"Kurumi-san, it is not polite to laugh at your peers," Haruna lectured, still scrubbing Miiko's face. "Honestly!" she repeated. "Is it really so difficult for you two to follow Miyu-san's example? There is no one better to learn from! You see her every single day, and she is the epitome of—!"
Miyu sighed and tuned back out again. As appreciative as she was of Haruna's praise, wasn't Haruna taking it just a little bit too far?
I am hardly perfect myself, and Haruna-chan should know that, but… There was something else nagging at Miyu. It was not a new epiphany, but for some reason, today, it was resonating with her more than usual. She never calls us -chan… Why?
Of course, on some level, Miyu knew it was merely one of Haruna's many quirks. She was always overly formal and polite due to her devotion to being a proper young lady. But as Miyu watched Haruna slide effortlessly back and forth between scolding Kurumi and scolding Miiko, she couldn't help but wonder if Haruna really liked them.
It was a preposterous question, and Miyu felt guilty for doubting Haruna, but sometimes, the honorifics did create a distance between them, at least in Miyu's mind. Even in their happiest or most private, intimate moments, it was always -san and never -chan. Miyu tilted her head, still smiling in mild, awkward concern as the quartet finally made their way in, Miiko's face scrubbed red and Kurumi's breathing just a little too tight.
ooo
"Haruna-chan?"
"Yes, Miyu-san?" Haruna's tone was reverent again as she was approached after school by her favorite classmate.
"I… had a question I wanted to ask you." Miyu knew she had to be careful with how she worded what she wanted to say next. Anything too accusatory would likely hurt Haruna's feelings and make her self-conscious and Miyu didn't want that. She was just curious.
"Anything for you, Miyu-san!" Haruna's eyes widened and she nodded attentively, a hopeful and eager smile spreading across her face.
"I was just wondering… Why do you always call us -san?" She tried to explain her thoughts from earlier, as gentle and considerate as possible. "Please, do not mistake me, I am not angry, nor offended, nor anything of the sort! I am merely… curious."
"Oh… Miyu-san… I had no idea you felt that way…" Haruna's eyes clouded with concern.
"Like I said, I took no offense to it! It was simply an observation!" Miyu said quickly, but Haruna shook her head.
"If it upsets Miyu-san, then I shall gladly change the way I address her to whatever she so desires!" Haruna promised, and despite herself, Miyu had to bite back a small laugh at the irony in Haruna's oath. She was just too earnest sometimes!
"Very well then," Miyu decided to play along. "Then let me hear it, please." She leaned forward expectantly, eyes wide.
"Oh! O-of- of course!" Haruna looked flustered, a light blush dusting her cheeks as Miyu put her on the spot. After a few seconds, though, she composed herself and quietly cleared her throat before leaning towards Miyu. "If you wish, I can call you… M-M-Miyu-s-s-sama…"
Her voice was so hushed, and her tone so soft, that even though she and Miyu were only inches apart, it still took a moment for Miyu to comprehend what she said. As soon as it sank in, though, Miyu could no longer restrain herself, and she started laughing.
"Oh, Haruna-chan, that's not what I meant!" she cried, trying and failing miserably to stifle her tickled giggles. She shook her head. "I didn't want you to go further with the honorifics!"
"B-but—!" Haruna looked as if Miyu had asked her to commit the sin of blasphemy. In the back of Miyu's mind, she couldn't help but be amused by the mental image of Haruna resting a hand over her heart to complete the scandalized expression she was displaying.
"Haruna-chan!" Miyu chided playfully. "I am neither god nor angel, you know that! I am just a human girl, like you! And I am your friend, at that." She reached out and took Haruna's hands in her own, squeezing them reassuringly.
"B-but… Miyu-san…" It is a matter of honor, for me, and honorifics! I simply cannot—
"Please, Haruna-chan?" It was time for Miyu to show Haruna exactly what she meant when she considered herself imperfect. She gave the other girl her best, most pleading, adorable smile, eyes wide and lower lip pushed out just slightly.
It is childish of me, I know, and perhaps even a bit manipulative, but… If it helped Haruna loosen up and grow closer to her, Miyu was willing to do it. She wasn't, after all, a god or an angel. She was a flawed mortal just like all of the rest of them, and she wasn't above sinking to sneaky tactics to get what she wanted from time to time. And what she wanted now was—
"—to hear you say it. I know it makes you uncomfortable, and I apologize for pushing you over something that seems so trivial, but it really would mean the world to me if you did…"
Of course, she knew Haruna's affection for her and the rest of Lyrical Lily was not defined by what honorifics she used for them, but as she noted before, it would make her feel as if Haruna was a little closer and more connected to them if she would drop the formalities at least once.
I just want to see if she can do it, Miyu bit back a dry, teasing smile. She needed to keep looking as earnest as possible… Just a few seconds more …
She squeezed Haruna's hands again and Haruna finally caved. Exhaling quietly, her shoulders slumped, but she met Miyu's eyes directly.
"All right, then… Miyu-chan…"
Miyu's face lit up like the sun shining overhead and she threw her arms excitedly around the other girl.
"Oh, Haruna-chan, thank you!"
Haruna stumbled back, surprised by the intensity of Miyu's hug, and the fact that it was… Miyu… hugging… her…
Oh, Miyu-san… I mean! Miyu-sama! I mean! Miyu-chan! Miyu-chan… Miyu… chan…
A stupid grin was suddenly plastered to Haruna's face as she finally remembered to wrap her arms back around Miyu. It felt strange to address Miyu without a formal honorific, whether she said it out loud or in her head, but if it gave her results like this…
Well, I can hardly complain, now can I? And if it is what Miyu-s… Miyu-chan wants, then, I can hardly begrudge her of that! After all, it is a matter of honor, and honorifics, that I address Miyu-chan with the proper respect that she wants and deserves!
And that was all Miyu ever really wanted to hear.
AN: *Patiently/impatiently waits for Haruna to call any of LL -chan instead of -san.*
If it already happened, I missed it, so plz link me! LOL
Also, Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!